How should the sunday offertory be managed?

[pmkituku]

I am a devoted Catholic Christian in Kenya and currently in the leadership. One thing that i have found to be ambiguous is the issue of management of offertory. Who should manage it; the parish priest or the parish council? Is it spelled out in the canon law or Vatican 2 documents? Kindly assist me to serve within the church regulations

 

[Fr.Charles_Grondin]

Every parish is to have a finance council, however the finance council is an advisory council. It, generally, does not have the right to “override” the pastor. As the Instruction on Certain Questions Regarding the Collaboration of the Non-Ordained Faithful in the Sacred Ministry of Priests states:

Article 5

§ 2. Diocesan and parochial Pastoral Councils and Parochial Finance Councils, of which non-ordained faithful are members, enjoy a consultative vote only and cannot in any way become deliberative structures. Only those faithful who possess the qualities prescribed by the canonical norms may be elected to such responsibilities.

§ 3. It is for the Parish Priest to preside at parochial councils. They are to be considered invalid, and hence null and void, any deliberations entered into, (or decisions taken), by a parochial council which has not been presided over by the Parish Priest or which has assembled contrary to his wishes.

Parish councils offer advice and critique to the pastor, however they do not actually control how the parish spends or saves money. If you have concerns about your parish’s finances then you and the parish council should respectfully address them with the pastor. Only if there is a matter of illegality or immorality (e.g. embezzlement or misappropriation) should the Bishop be involved. All matters of opinion ultimately are the prerogative of the pastor to decide.